Chapter 13: Picking up
Lord Jakaro watched Sergeant Imia pull Ranma off of the House grounds and hand the young lad over to Inspector Ojima. The Kitsune lord felt the Power flows change and his eyes glittered. "Ah ha! I was right! You were the second Power Source – you kept the House here after Tofu and Kasumi left, Shape-Shifter," he thought gleefully. "You and your misguided sense of honor. Impressive, very impressive." Jakaro considered the human as he was dragged toward the prisoner wagon. "You're a Power Point, a living Nexus, and you can tap into the primary Nexus. If I can teach you how to increase your power, you can give Henna a run for her money. You might even be able to beat her, especially if we can trick her to come to Nerima. Even more so with help from Akane and Ryoga…"
Inspector Ojima pulled Ranma Ono outside toward the police wagons waiting on the street. Normally, he'd never be a match for Ranma, but Ranma was not resisting at all - at least not physically. "This isn't my fault!" Ranma was protesting to the inspector.
"Everything's your fault, Ono! The Kunoichi…the Mercenaries…the Ninjas…you even inspired the locals to take arms! I've had enough! The jail will be full tonight! I'm going to bust them all! Get ready to go on a prison food fast!" He looked at the two policemen guarding the nearest wagon. "Open it! Then get your hides inside! There's lots of arrests to be made." The men hastened to obey.
Ranma tried again: "Inspector! Please listen to me!"
"Not another word out of you tonight!" Ojima responded sharply. "You can plead your case before Judge Sanu tomorrow. Another word and I'll charge you with resisting arrest!" Ranma's mouth snapped shut. Ojima looked at the two officers. "MOVE IT! Get the others!" he yelled.
Both men took off at a run. "Damn, he's pissed," one whispered to the other.
Ojima tossed Ranma into the open van and jumped up. As soon as he was out-of-sight from anyone watching, Ojima's posture softened, confusing Ranma. "Sorry lad," the inspector said. "Not a word, but you're not under arrest." Ranma made a questioning gesture, so Ojima obliged: "If people think I'm willing to arrest you for that fiasco, then their dead meat as far as I'm concerned." Ranma's eyes widened in understanding. "Now," Ojima continued. "Unless you really want to see the inside of a jail cell - for protective custody, mind you - I need you to pull that disappearing act and stay out of sight for the rest of the night. Can Olaf disappear too?"
Ranma shook his head. "But Mausu and Daran can," he whispered. "So can Mousse and Akane."
"If you think I'm setting myself up to have Akane scream at me for the next year, you've been hit too many times in the head," Ojima grinned at him. "I'll grab Mousse next." Ranma smirked back. "Now, VANISH!" Ranma obliged him.
Akane was looking frantically for Ranma. The explosion was forcing her to detour around blocked passages and there was fighting everywhere. Ninjas, Kunoichis, Martial Artists, and Mercenaries were attacking each other all around her, creating further chaos. While the Ninjas and Mercenaries ignored her, occasionally one of the Kunoichis or Martial Artists would challenge her. Akane quickly brushed them out of her way as a warning. The stubborn ones were rewarded with punches to the jaw – most of them didn't come back for more. The foolish ones were given Chi blasts – they didn't come back. Daran, Ciren, and (surprisingly) Lady Hoshi had her back; there were no attacks from behind.
Akane had almost managed to make it from her side hallway to the main hallway (that ran from the front door to the ballroom) when she heard the shout of "Banzai!" Up ahead, she saw scores of policemen charging down the main hall toward the ballroom. At the head of the column was Inspector Ojima waving a "Jolly Roger" pirate flag. The phrase "Oh hell…" trickled through Akane's mind. Immediately, Akane was caught in the flow of everyone running away from the police. She didn't dare fight the stream – if she incapacitated anyone, they would be trampled to death. She found herself back by the now empty bar and managed to dive behind it. Ciren appeared beside her. "We need to Cloak!" Ciren whispered urgently. Akane nodded her head and invoked the Umisen-ken.
They stayed hidden until the sound of the crowd faded, as did the sound of the police chasing them. Ciren broke her Cloak first. "All right, I think the worst has passed. Let's sneak around the back and see what's going on in the ballroom," she whispered.
Akane nodded and said in a low voice: "I can't find Ranma."
"He may be Cloaking. Don't panic yet," Ciren advised. "Let's go."
They slowly worked their way around to the back of the building and found an unblocked hallway leading to the ballroom. Halfway down the hallway there was a little alcove. Inside, they found Shiran holding a prone Tomo. Both of them were in their Kitsune forms. "What happened?!" Akane asked worriedly as she ran over to them.
"I needed to keep him out of trouble," Shiran shrugged. "I was a little too successful, but he'll be fine in the morning. Here, please take him back to the dojo." He handed Tomo to Akane.
"What did you do to him?" Akane demanded.
Shiran looked very directly at her. "I gave him a taste of his own medicine - the hot sauce he fed me. But I also gave him mercy - I only fed him a quarter of what he tricked me into eating. I've also given him the antidote; something Ono had to do for Ranma and me. Tomo won't be so quick to try that again though."
"That was cruel!" she burst out.
Shiran raised an eyebrow at her. "It would be even more cruel to withhold teaching him about consequences," he replied. "Would you let your student get the advantage of you using a cheap trick? Or would you remind them that they still have a ways to go." Akane bit her lip. "Exactly," he added. "You have a tender heart, Miss Tendo. But, while it's true Mercy should always be added to Justice, Justice should also be added to Mercy. Remember that - it may help you do the things you have to do." He placed a hand on Tomo's forehead and a trace of a smile formed on his lips. "He'll be fine though; I promise you. Now, I have to go help clean up. The three of you should go outside. Ranma and the others will be there soon – I promise." With that, he vanished.
"Kitsunes…" Ciren sighed before leading Akane back toward the front of the building to retrieve their coats.
Daran looked over his equipment. By some miracle, nothing had been damaged. Yul and Lady Hoshi stood nearby. Daran looked over at the Kitsune. "Do I have you to thank for this?" Daran asked.
"Me and my fellows anyway," Yul admitted. "Happiness is always in short supply, and you are never happier than when you're 'spinning disks.' Besides, how else are you going to play for us at our next Rave?"
Daran chuckled and said: "Deal."
"Fine," Yul said. "But you don't have time to pack it up - let us take care of it. We can put it 'as is' in your apartment. Then you can deal with it at your leisure. Consider it part of the 'protection' in exchange for the Rave."
"He'll take it," Lady Hoshi chimed in.
"Huh?" Daran replied.
"You've already agreed to the Rave," she said. "And you don't have time for anything else tonight." Daran turned to look at her sharply, but she was already moving. The Kunoichi Mistress snapped a handcuff on his right hand. He tried to spin away, but the other handcuff was on her left wrist. As a matter of course, he pulled her to him and was forced to catch her. "Why Mr. Hawke!" she exclaimed. "It's proper to ask a girl to dance first; not just yank her on to the dance floor!"
"Hoshi, what are you up to?" Daran demanded.
"Why, I've just been taken hostage," she explained. "You're a fugitive from the law, you see. It's all very exciting for a young woman like me." Yul was smirking.
"What are you talking about and where are the keys?" Daran demanded again.
"Well, Inspector Ojima has decided to arrest the wedding party - minus the Bride and Groom, of course. I understand it's for protective custody," she answered.
"Oh crap," Daran moaned. "That's not happening."
"Well, then, you better flee. Looks like you'll have to take me with you," she said smugly.
"Yul, get these off of me," Daran insisted.
"Love to," the Kitsune replied. "But I don't have the key, and they're enchanted. It's a good piece of work. We need the key."
Daran covered his eyes with his free hand. "Hoshi…" he said in warning tones.
"The key is at my place," she told him with an unruffled calm. "We will have to go there before sunrise."
"Why before sunrise?" Daran pushed.
"Because Inspector Ojima will lift the protective order at sunrise. You'll want to go back to your life then. Until then, you're a fugitive. You might as well take refuge with others who hide from the Law."
"This is revenge for the Bachelor Party, isn't it," he pressed.
Hoshi practically purred as she replied: "Oh no, this is the price for borrowing my shape to teach Hina a lesson. I am the Mistress of one of the largest Kunoichi houses in Japan. My finger is on the pulse of the underworld - I have quite the empire. I have everything I want… and I'm bored out of my wits. You and your friends are the most interesting thing to happen to me in a long time - you in particular. So, I'm going on an adventure: I'm going 'on the lam' with you."
Daran and Hoshi locked gazes for a moment, neither blinking. Daran stared hard into her eyes and thought he recognized something hidden there - something that he didn't have to hide, but she did. He made a gesture with his free hand and his fedora appeared. "Fine. You want an adventure? You got it!" he said. With that, he placed his hat on his head and the handcuffed couple vanished…
As Akane carried Tomo toward the door, a mist began to rise soundlessly from the floor. "What's happening?" Akane demanded.
"I think the House is getting ready to leave us," Ciren said. "I've seen this before. Looks like Jakaro used a Spirit House as the Wedding Hall. The spell he used is ending. In fact…" Before she could say more, the walls around them thinned and the mist became very thick. Then a wind arose from the west and blew some of the mist away. When they could see again, the two women and their charge were in the middle of a construction yard full of piles of lumber and stone. "In fact, if we just stand still, we'll find our way out quickly," Ciren finished.
Enough mist still hung over the lot that it lowered visibility. Beyond the fence, the flashing lights of the police cars could be seen. "Do we go outside or do we try and find the others first?" Akane asked.
"You hang tight," a voice said off to their right. Yul materialized out of the fog.
"Where's Shiran and Lord Jakaro?" Ciren asked.
"Busy," he answered. "Jakaro's putting the House back. Shiran is making sure no one gets caught in translation. They will be a while. I'm in charge of tidying up on this World. Wait here for a few moments; I'll be back."
He was gone about three minutes when he led Olaf, Nabiki, Mausu, and Hinako to Ciren and Akane. Hinako still had Soun thrown over her shoulder. "I'm fond of him," Hinako said still in her adult form. "But he's getting heavy."
Mousse appeared in front of everyone. "You can give him to me," the young Chinese man said. He took Soun from Hinako easily.
Ranma also appeared. "Well that was interesting," he stated.
"What was?" Akane asked.
"Being arrested," he replied. Akane's eyes widened and she almost dropped Tomo. Ranma rushed forward and took the Kitsune from her.
"I'm fine," he said hurriedly. "Everything's O.K.; I'm not in trouble." Akane punched him in the shoulder and then rested her head on said shoulder in relief.
"Imia was serious?" Nabiki questioned in disbelief.
"Sort of. I'll explain on the way home," Ranma replied as he placed his free arm around Akane. "We need to sneak out of here though. Ojima doesn't want us anyone to see us until sunrise, and I'm not interested in actually ticking him off."
"Who's in this prohibition?" Olaf asked.
Ranma made an inclusive gesture. "Team Ono," he responded. "That's everyone here. Where's Daran? He's included."
"Busy," Yul answered. "Lady Hoshi sort of forced him to kidnap her."
"How the hell did that work?" Ranma asked shocked.
"You had to be there. Let's just say he has his hands full and he knows he has to stay out of sight until sunrise."
Ranma sighed. "All right." He looked at Olaf who was still in his tux. "So what do we do now?"
Olaf shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know. You tell me, Boss," the giant replied.
"What?" The pigtailed young man was obviously confused.
"Tofu is on holiday," Ciren said. "We're not. The wedding is over, so is our break. We're on the clock again. Tofu said you're in charge while he and Kasumi are gone."
Ranma's mouth dropped open. Akane and Nabiki had identical smirks on their faces (occasionally, it was obvious they were sisters). Mousse looked amused. The mercenaries were careful to keep their faces impassive. After a minute or so, Nabiki said: "Well, oh mighty tactician? You're the Martial Arts Master. You've executed strategy before and been in a ton of fights. Your squad awaits. What are they - and the rest of us - to do?"
Ranma seemed to shake himself and threw Nabiki a sour look. He was very aware of how well she (and the rest of them) would obey him. Still, it seemed they were looking to him for leadership. He swept a hand over his head, dropped his hands to his side, and blew out a breath. "Fine. We go home and leave the night to Ojima," he said. "Tomorrow is a recovery day. We meet at the dojo tomorrow for dinner. Hinako and Yul? You're welcome to come - for the meal if nothing else." The two nodded. Ranma looked at the mercenaries and added: "If Tofu left you tasks, attend to those. If you can't make tomorrow night, call in. If you find yourselves with idle time and there's nothing better, do a little information gathering. I want to make sure we really have run out of assassins."
"You have," Yul cut in. "Othan and Jakaro finally got to the truth. There may be more next week, but we're done for now."
"I'll take it," Ranma replied. "Ciren? Could you please distract Ojima so Olaf and Hinako can get past the past the police? I'm asking, not ordering. If you're not comfortable, I understand. But, somehow, I don't think Ojima will arrest you."
Ciren laughed. "Don't sweat it, Boss. It's not a conflict of interest." She winked at him. "We'll school you on proper mercenary etiquette tomorrow."
"What about me?" Mausu asked.
"Help Olaf escort Hinako home, then get some rest. Are you on good terms with Othan and his squad assignment-wise?" At Mausu's nod, Ranma continued. "Tomorrow, touch base with them and share intel - I don't want the two teams tripping each other up accidently."
"Not bad," Olaf rumbled. "You've already figured out the first rule of leadership - if you're unsure, fake it." Ranma's face grew red as the team silently clapped. So did the dojo household.
"You'll do just fine," Ciren stated. "See you tomorrow, Boss." With that, she turned and strode off into the mist.
Hinako's eyes burned proudly as she looked at her student. "You're growing up fast," she noted as she motioned to Olaf and Mausu. They walked away in the opposite direction from Ciren.
"You need to pick up the wedding dress and the tux," Yul said quietly. "They're over this way." Nabiki and the three teenagers nodded and followed him deeper into the yard. Yul pointed to clothing laying neatly on some lumber. "They're O.K.," he said. "Just need a cleaning. I'll see you tomorrow evening." With that, he vanished.
Nabiki stepped forward to pick up the wedding dress and stopped. She just stared at the dress. After a full minute, she said in a flat tone: "Akane? I did really well the entire time. I held everything together and helped made sure the wedding happened."
"Yes…yes you did," Akane agreed.
"Can you please do this last task? I'll get Tofu's tuxedo, but I can't pick up the dress. I can't be the one who finally closes the door. Please?" she said in the same tone.
"I got it, Nabiki." With that, Akane carefully picked up the wedding dress and folded it against her body tightly.
Ranma cast a confused glance at Mousse, who placed a finger to his lips. Ranma caught the hint and stayed quiet. The four of them stood silently for a bit, until Ranma finally walked forward to Akane. He shifted Tomo's weight (an easy task) and placed a free arm around Akane. She leaned into him and started to sob lightly. Mousse had to deal with Soun's weight on his shoulder, but he managed to place a firm hand on Nabiki shoulder. Nabiki made no sound.
Eventually, Nabiki placed her hand over Mousse's, and squeezed the hand. She then walked forward and picked up Tofu's tux. In the distance, the police cars pulled away, leaving the construction lot deep in shadow. The four stood and looked around the lot. "I know it doesn't help, but it's true none-the-less," Mousse started. "The end of an era is the beginning of the next. She and he will be back. For now, let's just go home." The other three nodded and slowly started their walk back to the dojo.
A/N: Next week, I'll post an Epilogue, but it will be an epilogue for the whole arc, so there will be some spoilers in it from other stories. Hold off reading it if you're planning to read "Gifts", "Elemental Battle", or "Akari's Baptism" until afterwards.
